The Shady Side Of Magic Johnson

May 2024 · 2 minute read

Magic Johnson's business empire also means he's got quite the jet-setting lifestyle, which includes a private plane on the ready with a personal stewardess to attend to his every whim. But Lanita Thomas, who served as Magic's airborne attendant for eight years, contends she was suddenly axed in 2012 — ostensibly for being only 15 minutes late.

Thomas, then 45, filed a lawsuit alleging it was all just a cover to allow a younger woman to dote on Johnson's in-flight demands. The younger woman filled in as Thomas took medical leave in 2010, and upon her return, the suit alleges, Johnson became "less cordial" and "more standoffish and dismissive of her," according to ABC News.

The filing also claims the day that Thomas was fired for her tardiness was actually because she was catering to Johnson's incredibly picky in-flight meal demands including, "two types of specific turkey" for his sandwich. She also says Magic made her hand squeeze his Red Vines licorice "to make sure they were soft" — and that Johnson didn't provide proper meal breaks or compensate her for overtime. Magic called foul to TMZ, claiming, "[Lanita] failed to substantially comply with all directions concerning her employment," and further called the suit "frivolous." The dispute was settled confidentially in 2013. Thomas was purportedly compensated back pay but got no extra sugar for her pains with the red licorice, according to TMZ.

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